• It’s not a threat – BoT chair 

From Victor Edozie (Port Harcourt),Saawua Terzungwe,  Muideen Olaniyi (Abuja) & Bola Ojuola (Akure)

The convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) slated for tomorrow is hanging in the balance following the Court Appeal’s decision to rule on an appeal filed by Prince Uche Secondus, suspended national chairman of the party today.

An Appeal Court sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday reserved judgement in the case between Secondus and six members of the PDP for today.

Secondus, in the appeal marked CA/PH/ 339, is asking the court to restrain PDP from conducting its national convention slated for October 30 and 31, 2021.

The embattled former chairman was edged out following his feud with Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike. Delegates have arrived Abuja from across the country for the convention.

Secondus had through his Lawyer, Payo Oyetubo, prayed the court to suspend the convention and grant him the right to preside over the exercise.

When the matter came up in court on Tuesday, six members of the PDP joined in the case informed the court about their application for joinder which was not opposed by counsel to Secondus.

The party members were granted leave to join by the three-man appeal panel.

The appeal panel led by Justice Haruna Simon Isammani, after listening to the arguments from both parties, directed counsel to the plaintiff to serve the process to the defendant counsel within 24 hours.

Earlier, counsel to PDP, S.I. Ameh, had opposed the application of Secondus’ counsel and urged the court to strike out the case on the ground that the counsel sought the suspension of the convention.

Justice Haruna after adoption of the written address from the legal counsel for Secondus, Tayo Oyetibi and 11 respondents, adjourned the case till today. The development has raised tension in the main opposition party in the country.

When contacted, however, the chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party, Sen Walid Jibrin, said the suit is not a threat to the convention.

 Senator Jibrin said, “despite the adjournment, the PDP is not threatened and is hopeful that the convention will hold on Saturday.”

Meanwhile, the chairman, organising committee of the convention, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State, yesterday said the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) will cease to exist after the conduct of the PDP convention.

Also, four governors who are members of the PDP yesterday met with a former governor of Ondo State, Olusegun Mimiko, over his proposed move to join the party.

The governors; Seyi Makinde (Oyo), Aminu Tambuwal (Sokoto), Nyesom Wike (Rivers) and Okezie Ikpeazu (Abia) had a closed-door meeting with Mimiko in Akure.

 At the end of the meeting, Tambuwal who spoke to journalists on behalf of the governors said they were in Ondo to reunite Mimiko with PDP.

He said they had a robust meeting with Mimiko and was sure he would join them.